Destinus
Category: Robotics / Embodied AI
A dual-use aerospace company building autonomous AI-driven defense drones and hydrogen-powered hypersonic aircraft for ultra-fast global transport. Destinus was founded in 2021. The company is led by Mikhail Kokorich. Based in Payerne, Switzerland. Team size: 500+. Total funding raised: €400.0M. Latest round: Debt Financing (€50.0M, Dec 2025). Key investors include ["Conny & Co","Quiet Capital","One Way Ventures","Liquid 2 Ventures","Cathexis Ventures","ACE & Company","Raison Asset Management"].
- Founded
- 2021
- Headquarters
- Payerne, Switzerland
- Team size
- 500+
- Total funding
- €400.0M
Value proposition
Funds long-term zero-emission hypersonic travel goals through immediate revenue from autonomous, AI-piloted defense systems effective in GPS-denied environments.
Products and solutions
["Lord (Long-range Intel/Jamming UAV)","Ruta (Jet-powered Strike/Recon Drone)","Hornet (Anti-drone Interceptor)","Destinus-3 (Supersonic Demonstrator)","Destinus S (Hypersonic Passenger Concept)","Destinus L (Heavy cargo hypersonic logistics concept)","OPRA Industrial Turbines","Hydrogen Afterburners"]
Unique value
Combines immediate defense utility with long-term hypersonic ambition; utilizes hydrogen for both fuel and active cooling to solve thermal management challenges.
Target customer
Defense Ministries (Ukraine, Spain, NATO), Commercial Airlines, Logistics Providers
Industries served
["Defense & Aerospace","Aviation","Logistics","Artificial Intelligence","Energy (Hydrogen)"]
Technology advantage
Proprietary hydrogen active cooling allows use of standard alloys for hypersonic flight; acquisition of Daedalean and partnership with Shield AI provide top-tier autonomous piloting capabilities.
How they differentiate
Proprietary hydrogen active cooling system and a 'dual-use' strategy funding hypersonic transport via immediate defense drone revenue.
Main competitors
["Hermeus (USA)","Venus Aerospace (USA)","Hypersonix (Australia)"]
Key partnerships
["Shield AI (Hivemind integration)","Spanish Ministry of Science & Defense","ITP Aero (Engine development)","Government of Ukraine (Defense supply)"]
Notable customers
["Ministry of Defense of Ukraine","Spanish Ministry of Science & Innovation","NATO Allies"]
Major milestones
["Acquired AI aviation firm Daedalean for $225M in Aug 2025","Secured €50M debt facility from Commerzbank in Dec 2025","Awarded ~€27M in strategic grants from Spanish Govt (2023)","Operational deployment of Lord/Ruta drones in Ukraine"]
Growth metrics
Team size 500+; Est. $70M+ revenue (2024); Acquired Daedalean for $225M in 2025.
Market positioning
European DefenseTech champion and industrial-scale aerospace challenger.
Geographic focus
Europe (Switzerland, Spain, Germany, Netherlands), Ukraine
Patents and IP
Patents filed for Hydrogen Active Cooling System and 3D printed hydrogen fuel injectors.
About Mikhail Kokorich
Serial entrepreneur in aerospace and deep tech. Founder of Momentus (NASDAQ: MNTS), Astro Digital, and Dauria Aerospace. Physicist and inventor.
Official website: https://www.destinus.com/